Health & Wellness

School Health Services

New York State requires certain immunizations when entering Pre-K, Kindergarten, 6th, 7th, and 12th grade. New York State requires proof of the necessary immunizations within two weeks of the first day of school.

If you are unable to schedule an appointment with your child’s primary doctor, appointments can be made through the Oneida County Health Dept. at 315-798-5747 or the Herkimer County Health Dept. at 315-876-1176.

Pre-K and Kindergarten Immunization Requirements:

• 3 to 5 doses of DTP
• 3 to 4 doses of Polio
• 2 doses of MMR
• 3 doses of Hepatitis B
• 2 doses of Varicella

6th Grade Immunization Requirement:

• 1 dose of Tdap

7th Grade Immunization Requirement:

• 1 dose of Meningococcal

12th Grade Immunization Requirement:

• 1 to 2 doses of Meningococcal (depending on age of first immunization)

Physicals:

New York State requires updated physical examinations for new entrants, anyone participating in a sport and students in grades Pre-K, K, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. Parents may mail, drop off the physical in person or FAX to each school.

In Good Health,

Mrs. Wendy Divine, RN Pre-K– 6th Grade Memorial Park School Nurse

Mrs. Jennifer Misiaszek, RN 7th-12th Grade Jr./ Sr. High School Nurse

Health Screening

New York State schools are mandated by the Commissioner of Education to require each student enrolled in a public school to have a satisfactory health examination conducted by the student’s family physician, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner upon the student’s entrance into Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten and First Grade, Third Grade, Seventh Grade, Ninth Grade, and Eleventh Grade.

If your child will be entering a mandated grade in the fall, you are required to provide the district with a copy of a physical exam within 30 days of the start of the school year. This physical cannot be any more than 12 months old. If your child plans to play a sport, this exam will serve as a sport’s physical too.

Download New York State Health Exam Form

Dental Health Certificate

New York State requests that all students entering grades Kindergarten, 2, 4, 7, and 10 provide the school with a Dental Health Certificate. This certificate must be signed by a dentist who has examined your child sometime within the past twelve months. It must state that the child is in “fit” condition of dental health to permit attendance at school.

Immunization Information

Public Health Law 2164, as amended by Chapter 35 of the Laws of 2019, prohibits a school from permitting any child to be admitted to such school, or to attend such school, in excess of 14 days without sufficient evidence that the child has received all age-appropriate required vaccinations. The 14 days may be extended where the student is transferring from out of state or from another county and can show a good faith effort to get the necessary evidence or where the parent, guardian or any other person in parental relationship can demonstrate that a child has received the first age-appropriate dose in each immunization series and that they have age-appropriate scheduled appointments for follow-up doses to complete the immunization services in accordance with the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0 through 18.

Acceptable proof of immunizations is a health care practitioner record, signed by a practitioner licensed in New York State. Records acceptable without a signature include:

• NYSIIS Record
• Official registry from another state
• Official record from a foreign nation
• Electronic health record
• School health record (must be transferred directly from one school to another)

Demonstrated serologic evidence of measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, varicella or all three serotypes of polio antibodies is acceptable proof of immunity to these diseases. Diagnosis by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner that a child has had varicella disease is acceptable proof of immunity to varicella. Please be advised that students not in compliance with the required immunization requirements, or those lacking proof of satisfactory progress toward completion, will be excluded from attending school until adequate proof is submitted.

Under a law signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo (Chapter 35 of the Laws of 2019), exemptions based on religious beliefs will no longer be allowed for the childhood vaccines that are currently required for entry or attendance at school in New York State.

Download Immunization Chart

Download 2025-26 School Year New York State Immunization Requirements for the School Entrance/Attendance

School Vaccination Requirements

Children attending day care and pre-K through twelfth grade in New York State must receive all required doses of vaccines on the recommended schedule in order to attend or remain in school. This is true unless they have a valid medical exemption to immunization. This includes all public, private, and religious schools. A medical exemption is allowed when a child has a medical condition that prevents them from receiving a vaccine. There are no nonmedical exemptions to school vaccine requirements in NYS. For more information about Medical Exemptions, visit https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/immunization/schools/.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) establishes the recommended vaccine schedule and determines when vaccines are due.

Important school immunization information

Within 14 days of the first day of school or day care, parents must:

• Show proof of their child’s up-to-date vaccinations, OR
• Provide a valid medical exemption from vaccination.

In order to attend or remain in school or day care, children who are unvaccinated or overdue must receive at least the first dose of all required vaccines within the first 14 days. They also must receive subsequent vaccines in the series within a 14-day period of when they are due to complete the immunization series.

Vaccines required for day care, pre-K, and school attendance

• Diphtheria and Tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine and Pertussis vaccine (DTaP or Tdap)
• Hepatitis B vaccine
• Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine (MMR)
• Polio vaccine
• Varicella (Chickenpox) vaccine

Additional vaccines required for middle school and high school

• Tdap vaccine for Grades 6-12
• Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY) for Grades 7-12
  • Students in Grade 12 need an additional booster dose of MenACWY on or after their 16^th birthday

Additional vaccines required for day care and pre-K

• Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (HiB)
• Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine (PCV)

Common vaccine questions

• Is it safe for my child to have more than one shot at a time? Yes! Scientific data show that getting multiple vaccines at the same time is safe. It also means fewer doctor’s office visits which can be less stressful for your child.
• How do I know vaccines are safe? The U.S. has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in its history, and vaccine safety systems to ensure that vaccines are as safe as possible.
• Why are so many doses needed for each vaccine? Depending on the vaccine, your child will need more than one dose to build high enough immunity to prevent disease or to boost immunity that fades over time. Every dose is important because each protects against infectious diseases that can be especially serious for infants and children.
• Is it more natural for my child to get the disease than a vaccine? Some diseases give your child future protection from that disease, but they also can make your child very sick, and they could spread it to other loved ones. Vaccines protect your child against future infections without making them sick.
• How can I help my child relax at their next vaccine visit? 9 Things to Make Shots Less Stressful for Your Child

Medicine Administration

New York State Education Department requires the school to have on file permission signed by the parent/guardian and the child’s physician before we can administer any mediation to your child. This includes both prescription and non-prescription (over the counter) medications.

Download Permission to Administer Medication Form

Body Mass Index Information

As part of a required school health examination, a student is weighed and his/her height is measured. These numbers are used to figure out the student’s body mass index or ‘BMI’. The BMI helps the doctor or nurse know if the student’s weight is in a healthy range or is too high or too low. New York State Education Law requires that BMI and weight status group be included as part of the student’s school health examination. Each year, a sample of school districts are selected to take part in a survey by the New York State Department of Health (DOH).

When the district is selected to be part of the survey, parents will be notified that physical exams from the previous school year will be used for that NYS report. When surveyed by the state, only summary information is sent. No names or information about individual students are sent. Parents may choose to have a child’s information excluded from this survey report.

Learn more about About Child & Teen BMI on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Child Abuse Hotline

If you suspect a child is being abused or maltreated (neglected), report it by calling 1-800-342-3720, a toll-free 24-hour hotline operated by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police department. Information about reporting child abuse and maltreatment (neglect) is available on the New York State Office of Children and Family Services Child Protective Services website.

If you cannot access the documents on this page, please call (315) 841-3900 or email Communications to obtain the document in an alternative format.

More Information

• Student Accident Insurance Claim Form
• Claim Form Instructions